We worry about
Losing our wealth
And forget from where
True wealth comes
We fear the loss
Of our freedom or dignity
But have already lost
Our connection
To the source
Of freedom and dignity
TO THE SOURCE
By Robert Van Valkenburgh
Meditations of a Gentle Warrior
To read my longer writing, subscribe at robertvanvalkenburgh.com
The goal is not to have more for the sake of more.
The goal is to have more of what matters.
Decide what is truly of value to you and seek that with all your power.
Protect that with all of your strength.
The rest is merely distraction.
True wealth is not the result of having more possessions, power, or prestige.
True wealth is knowing what matters and having that in abundance.
Some people are born lucky.
They are born smart, talented, beautiful, wealthy, or some combination of these.
Most of us are not.
Most of us have to work for what we have, what we want, and who we want to be.
To compare ourselves to the lucky is beyond foolish.
The lucky did not become so on their own.
They did not work for it.
They did not will it into being.
It is not something they had control over.
It is not something they earned.
It serves no purpose to envy that which another person has or is, especially when they played no role in having or being it.
Envy will not help us to be more lucky.
Luck is unreliable and difficult to replicate.
It is far better to focus on that which we can control, that which we can change, and that which will actually improve our lives, our position, and our character.
Envy of another person is distraction enough from our own power, our own capabilities, and our own potential, but to be envious of luck is to admit that we have no hope of or plan for improvement.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.
Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.
If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
Fulfillment is rarely found through self-serving behavior.
Selfishness may get us more of what we think we want with regards to material wealth, power, or notoriety, but it has been proven time and time again that these, alone, do not actually lead to a life of contentment, fulfillment, or happiness.
To be sure, there is a certain amount of material wealth, power, and notoriety that we all need to feel safe in the world, efficacious in our lives, and loved.
With regards to material wealth, we all need food, clothing, shelter, and to be able to provide these for our loved ones.
With regards to power, we all want to be seen and heard, and for our opinions, decisions, and actions to mean something, to have an affect on our lives, and to make the change we want to see in the world.
With regards to notoriety, we all need to know that we are needed, wanted, and appreciated.
Not all material wealth, power, or notoriety are created equal, however, nor is there only one way to attain and keep these.
Simply put, we can either seek out, acquire, and hold onto material wealth, power, and notoriety with other people or in spite of them, but only one of these paths leads to contentment, fulfillment, and happiness because only one of these paths is not based in fear.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.
Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.
If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
“I’ve always seen a vehicle as nothing more than a way to get from point A to point B.”
—My Grandfather
Many of us never stop to really question why we want the things we think that we want. We do not ask why we are chasing after a nicer car, a bigger house, or a higher position. We simply pursue these things as if they are some sort of existential imperative for no reason other than we feel as if we ought to.
We rarely stop to ask ourselves why, if having more is so important, does it always seem to leave us feeling dissatisfied, unfulfilled, and wanting more still. When is enough enough? When is a car just a car, a house just a house, and a job just a job?
If, for us, material possessions and financial-social status are ends in themselves, if they are what give our lives meaning and purpose, so be it. However, for most of us, they are just a means to an end. The problem is that many of us have never really considered or defined what that end is. We have not thought about where we are trying to get and at what point we will stop chasing more.
If we pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and really get honest with ourselves, we may realize that the things that truly bring us joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction are far fewer and far less expensive than we tend to think. Perhaps, these things are not things at all, but experiences. If we can shape our lives around the experiences that bring us the deepest sense of contentment, happiness, and meaning or purpose, we may find that we are already, actually unbelievably wealthy.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Taikyoku Mind & Body and Kogen Dojo where he teaches Taikyoku Budo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.
Follow Robert Van Valkenburgh and Holistic Budo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.
If you found this post helpful or meaningful in some way, please feel free to Share, Comment, and Subscribe below.
Meditations on God 